System and method for selection of a communication network by a terminal

ABSTRACT

System for selecting an architecture ( 15, 16, 17 ) dedicated to a communications network ( 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 ) in a terminal ( 10 ) including a user interface ( 11 ). The connection to the communications network ( 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 ) is set up by means of a PDP context link via a mobile network. The system controls access to a dedicated architecture manager ( 19 ) integrated into the terminal ( 10 ) to manage an architecture ( 15, 16, 17 ) dedicated to a communications network ( 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 ) and to process simultaneously the operation of the dedicated architectures ( 15, 16, 17 ) of the terminal ( 10 ) connected to a plurality of the communications networks ( 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 ). The system can be used for selecting access to a communications network ( 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 ) of a set of communications networks each offering a set of services via a dedicated architecture ( 15, 16, 17 ) integrated into the terminal ( 10 ) which is connected to a public mobile network to which the user is a subscriber.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a U.S. National Phase Application under 35 USC 371 ofInternational Application PCT/FR2003/003430, filed on 19 Nov. 2003.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system and to a method for selectingin a terminal an architecture that is dedicated to a communicationsnetwork.

The invention applies more particularly to using a dedicatedarchitecture integrated in a terminal connected to a public mobilenetwork to which the user is a subscriber, for accessing acommunications network from a set of communications networks, eachoffering a set of services.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

At present, such services are accessible from a terminal connected tomobile telecommunications networks such as GPRS (General Packet RadioService) networks and UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System)networks.

In these mobile networks, to select a communications network offeringservices, it is necessary to select a name identifying thecommunications network. To set up a connection between a terminal and aparticular communications network, the identifying name is transmittedvia a service support equipment of the mobile network to an equipmentmanaging access to the communications networks. The identifying namespecified by the terminal enables the service support equipment of themobile network to determine the access management equipment associatedwith the identifying name that offers access to the specifiedcommunications network.

In existing GPRS and UMTS networks, the name identifying acommunications network is called its access point name (APN), theservice support equipment is called the serving GPRS support node(SGSN), and the equipment managing access to the various communicationsnetworks is called the gateway GPRS service node (GGSN).

An APN primarily comprises an identifier that corresponds to theselected communications network, an identifier of the operator managingthe communications network, and an identifier of the technology of themobile network, for example the GPRS technology. The format and use ofan APN are covered by standards issued by the ETSI (EuropeanTelecommunications Standards Institute).

One function of an SGSN is to receive an APN from a terminal and to sendit to an APN server to which it is connected in order for the APN to berecognized. The APN server responds to the SGSN by sending a list of theGGSN associated with the specified APN. One function of the SGSN is toset up a connection to a GGSN from the list. The GGSN sets up aconnection to a communications network that corresponds to the APN. TheSGSN and the GGSN are also covered by ETSI standards.

To access a communications network offering a set of services, the userselects an APN on the terminal in order to set up a connection with thecorresponding communications network.

Once an APN has been selected on the terminal, an access protocol isinitialized. In a GPRS or UMTS network, this protocol is the packet dataprotocol (PDP). A procedure is executed to set up a connection from theterminal to the GGSN. To enable the connection to be set up, a linkacross the mobile network to the selected communications network iscreated. In a GPRS or UMTS network, that link is called a PDP context.It enables the terminal to access the services of the communicationsnetwork.

At the end of the set-up procedure, the terminal receives from thecommunications network to which a connection has been set up an addressthat identifies the terminal within the communications network and isassociated with the PDP context linking the terminal and thecommunications network.

The ETSI standard provides for a plurality of connections to be set upsimultaneously from the same terminal to different communicationsnetworks. The document FR 02 07457 describes the use of a dedicatedarchitecture manager in a terminal to manage simultaneous access to aplurality of communications networks.

In that document, on establishing a connection to a communicationsnetwork, the dedicated architecture manager dialogues with thecommunications network. In the terminal, the dedicated architecturemanager designates an architecture dedicated to the connection to theconnected communications network. On setting up each new connection to anew communications network, the dedicated architecture managerdesignates a different architecture dedicated to the connection to thenew communications network. The various dedicated architectures in thesame terminal operate simultaneously. Each dedicated architecture isassociated with a PDP context and provides access to a differentcommunications network.

The above document mentions that each dedicated architecture comprises anetwork interface. Each communications network communicates with adedicated architecture of the terminal via a separate network interface.The address sent by each of the communications networks is received bythe dedicated architecture manager and its parameters are set via anetwork interface. A network interface of any dedicated architecture isunrelated to any other network interface of any other dedicatedarchitecture.

The dedicated architecture manager in a terminal assigns each dedicatedarchitecture to a communications network. The autonomy and independentoperation of the dedicated architecture of the terminal guaranteeconfidentiality and security between communications networks byproviding a “seal” between the various services connected to theterminal.

To maintain the independence of the various communications networkseffectively, a dedicated architecture has no functions for managing theassociated PDP context created via the mobile network to enable accessfrom the terminal to a communications network.

Moreover, because of the autonomy of the various dedicated architecturesof a terminal, each dedicated architecture has no view of the operationof the other dedicated architectures of the terminal.

The document WO 02/30056 describes a system for managing quality ofservice after a mobile terminal has accessed a private network. Themobile terminal accesses various applications via a gateway and via thisone private network. The base station associated with the mobileterminal identifies the appropriate quality of service for each of theapplications corresponding to the various IP (Internet Protocol) datapackets sent over the private network. The above document does notdescribe selection for the purposes of access in the terminal to a setof communications networks and management thereof.

The document WO 02/01822 describes a method of securing remote access toa private data transmission network in an IP (Internet Protocol)environment using the functions of a remote access server with GPRSfunctions. Procedures for managing a PDP context are defined in ETSI and3GPP standards and provide GPRS connectivity (remote access andsecurity) and for use of the radio resources of the GPRS network. Theabove document does not explain how remote access with a plurality ofnetworks is selected and managed in a terminal.

The document WO 02/09451 concerns a method of connecting a plurality ofterminal equipments TE via a mobile terminal MT to a single packet datanetwork PDN. As the mobile terminal MT receives the IP addressesassigned to each terminal equipment TE from only one data network PDN,the addresses are always different from each other. Consequently, thecited document does not encounter the problem addressed by theinvention, i.e. that of selecting on a terminal the functioning of aplurality of architectures each dedicated to a different communicationsnetwork.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to provide a system and methodfor making a selection from a set of architectures dedicated tocommunications networks in a terminal that includes a user interface andis adapted to be connected simultaneously to a plurality of saidcommunications networks.

This and other objects are attained in accordance with one aspect of thepresent invention directed to a system for making a selection from a setof architectures dedicated to communications networks in a terminal thatincludes a user interface and is adapted to be connected simultaneouslyto a plurality of the communications networks. In this system, theconnections to the communications networks are set up via a mobilenetwork by means of PDP context links to the communications networks.The system includes selection means integrated into the user interfaceof the terminal for selecting the APN of one of the communicationsnetworks, for controlling access to a dedicated architecture managerintegrated into the terminal for managing the architecture dedicated tothe selected communications network, and for connecting the dedicatedarchitecture manager to the PDP context link to the selectedcommunications network in order to process a state of the link and toadapt a resource to the selected communications network.

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention the connections to thecommunications networks being set up via a mobile network by means ofPDP context links to said communications networks, the system comprisingselection means integrated into the user interface of the terminal forselecting the APN of one of the communications networks, for controllingaccess to a dedicated architecture manager integrated into the terminalfor managing the architecture dedicated to the selected communicationsnetwork, and for connecting the dedicated architecture manager to thePDP context link to the selected communications network in order toprocess a state of said link and to adapt a resource to the selectedcommunications network.

The dedicated architecture manager of the terminal manages simultaneousoperation of the various architectures dedicated to the variouscommunications networks to which the terminal is connected.

The selection means provide access to the dedicated architecturemanager, which controls one of the dedicated architectures that itmanages as a function of what the user has selected.

In this way, each of the dedicated architectures of the terminalcommunicates with only one communications network, which is associatedwith the corresponding PDP context, even if the terminal is connected toa plurality of communications networks.

The separate and autonomous operation of the various dedicatedarchitectures of the terminal is therefore preserved, which guaranteesconfidentiality and security between the various communications networksto which the terminal is connected. These imperatives are particularlyimportant during a banking transaction or on connecting to a businessprivate network, for example.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the selection means areintegrated into the user interface of the terminal.

Access to the services corresponding to a communications network isprovided by the user interface of the terminal, for example displaymeans, sound or voice means, or Braille means.

The user of the terminal activates the selection means to control thededicated architecture manager.

The selection means are of any form and any kind adapted to the existingtechnologies of the user interface of the terminal, such as buttons on akeypad of the terminal, pull-down menus, voice commands, Braillecommands, hypertext links on a screen of the terminal, or any otherselection device.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the selection means areassociated with a control device for the selection means.

The selection means of the terminal may be activated by control devicessuch as temperature sensors, pressure sensors or any other controlmeans.

Another object of the present invention is directed to a method ofmaking a selection in a terminal from a set of architectures dedicatedto communications networks, such terminal including a user interface andbeing adapted to be connected simultaneously to a plurality of thecommunications networks. In this method, the connections to thecommunications networks are set up via a mobile network by means of PDPcontext links to the communications networks. The method includes thesteps of integrating selection means with the user interface of theterminal; activating the selection means of the terminal to select anAPN of one of the communications network; the selection meanscontrolling access to a dedicated architecture manager integrated intothe terminal to manage a state of a dedicated architecture; thededicated architecture manager controlling first means of transmissionto the dedicated architecture of the terminal; the dedicatedarchitecture manager controlling second means of transmission to theselected communications network; the dedicated architecture managerprocessing a state of the PDP context link to the selectedcommunications network; and the dedicated architecture manager accessinga resource of the terminal accessible by the dedicated architecture andadapted to the selected communications network.

In one embodiment of the invention, the dedicated architecture managerassigns a dedicated architecture to each of the communications networks,offering the possibility of simultaneous but different and independentmanagement.

The selection means are used to activate the dedicated architecturemanager of the terminal, which then controls access and also controlsthe functions of each of the dedicated architectures (by means of firsttransmission means), each of the communications networks (by means ofsecond transmission means), each of the corresponding PDP contexts, andeach of the resources of the terminal.

When activated, and according to what the user has selected, thededicated architecture manager manages one of the dedicatedarchitectures, one of the communications networks, one of the PDPcontexts corresponding to the communications network, or one of theresources of the terminal.

Because the dedicated architectures operate separately and autonomously,the operation of the terminal may be adapted according to thecommunications network to which it is connected. For example, there maybe functions on one of the communications networks that not exist onanother communications network.

Moreover, because of the increased number of services accessible viacommunications networks, the autonomy of each dedicated architecture inparticular allows assignment of specific resources, for example specificapplications or a specific memory space or a specific quality of servicethat differ from one communications network to another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagram of the general architecture of a system according tothe invention for selecting in a terminal an architecture dedicated to acommunications network.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

To facilitate the explanation of the invention, it is described usingthe terminology of the UMTS. However, the invention applies to allcommunications systems using identical communications networkidentification techniques.

Similarly, to simplify the description, the mobile telecommunicationsnetwork subscriber is indicated by a terminal 10 in the form of a userequipment (UE) in FIG. 1, but may be of different kinds, for example aserver, a mobile communications terminal, a personal computer (PC) or atelevision.

Whichever kind of terminal 10 is used, it is connected to a publicmobile network to which the user is a subscriber.

At present, if the user of the terminal 10 wishes to access acommunications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 offering a set of servicesto which the user requires access, the user uses a radio station of themobile network to send an APN identifying the communications network 40,41, 42, 50, 51, 52.

To this end the user accesses, for example via the user interface 11, alist in the dedicated architecture manager 19 of APN identifying thecommunications networks 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 to which the user is asubscriber and which the user can access. The ETSI standard provides fora plurality of connections to be set up simultaneously to differentcommunications networks from the same terminal and, among other things,the list of APN enables the terminal to operate as a so-called“multi-APN” terminal.

A radio access management equipment SGSN in the mobile network receivesthe APN from the terminal 10 and determines which access managementequipment GGSN manages the APN.

The SGSN sends the APN to an APN server to which it is connected andwhich holds a table of the correspondences between APN and GGSN. TheSGSN selects a GGSN 30, 30′ which manages that APN.

The GGSN 30, 30′ sets up a connection to the communications network 40,41, 42, 50, 51, 52. A PDP context link to the communications network 40,41, 42, 50, 51, 52 is set up across the mobile network and enables theterminal 10 to access the communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52.

The GGSN 30, 30′ then sends the terminal 10 an address that identifiesthe terminal 10 in the communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 towhich it has been connected.

The dedicated architecture manager 19 in the terminal 10 receives theaddress, assigns a dedicated architecture 15, 16, 17 to the connectedcommunications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, and sends the address tothe dedicated architecture 15, 16, 17 that has been assigned to thecommunications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52.

The dedicated architecture 15, 16, 17 is associated with the PDP contextthat enables access from the terminal 10 to the communications network40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52.

The connection steps referred to above are repeated each time the userof the terminal 10 wishes to access a new communications network 40, 41,42, 50, 51, 52.

A new connection is then set up between the terminal 10 and a newcommunications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52. Consequently, a new PDPcontext link to the new communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 isset up across the mobile network.

The dedicated architecture manager 19 in the terminal 10 receives a newaddress and assigns a new dedicated architecture 15, 16, 17 to theconnected new communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52. From thispoint onwards, the new dedicated architecture 15, 16, 17 is associatedwith the new PDP context enabling access from the terminal 10 to the newcommunications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52.

When each connection is set up, and each time that a communicationsnetwork 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 is assigned a dedicated architecture 15,16, 17, the dedicated architecture manager 19 stores the identifier ofthe dedicated architecture 15, 16, 17 used in the terminal 10 in a listof dedicated architectures 15, 16, 17 managed by the dedicatedarchitecture manager 19 of the terminal 10. The ETSI standard providesfor a plurality of connections to be set up simultaneously to differentcommunications networks from the same terminal and, among other things,the list of dedicated architectures enables the terminal to operate as aso-called “multi-APN” terminal.

Once the connection has been set up, the dedicated architecture accessesthe user interface 11 of the terminal 10. In this way, the subscribercan access a service content of the communications network 40, 41, 42,50, 51, 52, for example a home page 12, 13.

If display of the content on the terminal 10 is not required by thecommunications network, the content of the communications network can berepresented by any other means of the user interface 11 of the terminal10, such as a voice message reproduced by audio means.

The user interface 11 of the terminal 10, for example comprising displaymeans, audio means, voice means or Braille means, provides access to theservices corresponding to the various communications networks 40, 41,42, 50, 51, 52.

Regardless of the number of connections set up, each architecture 15,16, 17 dedicated to a communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52receives information from the communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51,52 via each PDP context link corresponding to the communications network40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52.

To enable it to manage the various connections, the terminal 10 isequipped with selection means 18 integrated into the user interface 11.

The selection means 18 are of any form and any kind adapted to theexisting technologies of the user interface 11 of the terminal 10, andmay comprise buttons on keypads of the terminal, pull-down menus ondisplay means, hypertext links on the display means and selected by acursor, for example by a mouse, by touching a touch-sensitive screen orby directing the user's gaze, voice commands spoken by the subscriber ofthe terminal, Braille commands, or any other selection means.

The user of the terminal 10 activates the selection means 18 of theterminal 10.

The selection means 18 may equally be associated with a control deviceof the selection means 18. In this case, the control device activatesthe selection means 18 of the terminal 10.

For example, the control device is a temperature or pressure sensor, aninduction sensor or any other sensing or measuring device enablingactivation of the selection means 18, for example as a function of thevalue of a temperature or pressure measured by the control devicethreshold or a temperature or pressure threshold.

The selection means 18 are either general or specific to a managementfunction of the dedicated architecture manager 19.

If the selection means 18 are general, they provide access to a choiceof the various management functions of the dedicated architecturemanager 19, for example by means of a text or voice menu listing themanagement functions.

Otherwise, the terminal 10 may include a plurality of specific selectionmeans each corresponding to one of the management functions of thededicated architecture manager 19.

The tasks of the dedicated architecture manager 19 include managing themanagement functions, in particular functions for creating, modifying,suspending and closing a dedicated architecture 15, 16, 17, or any othermanagement function useful for a dedicated architecture 15, 16, 17 orfor consultation of characteristic data of a dedicated architecture 15,16, 17, for example the resources used in the terminal 10.

The management function of the dedicated architecture manager 19 isactivated by the selection means 18 or by the selection that has beenmade, for example with the aid of a list of the management functions ofthe dedicated architecture manager 19.

The dedicated architecture manager 19 controls first means 20 oftransmission to an architecture 15, 16, 17 dedicated to a communicationsnetwork 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 according to how activation was effected.The first transmission means 20 are integrated into the dedicatedarchitecture manager 19.

The dedicated architecture manager 19 commands creation, modification,suspension or closure of transmission to the architecture 15, 16, 17dedicated to a communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, forexample, according to the management function selected.

The dedicated architecture manager 19 controls second means 21 oftransmission to a communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52according to how activation was effected. The second transmission means21 are also integrated into the dedicated architecture manager 19.

The dedicated architecture manager 19 controls creation, modification,suspension or closure of transmission to the communications network 40,41, 42, 50, 51, 52, for example, according to the management functionselected.

The dedicated architecture manager 19 manages the state of a PDP contextlink to the communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 according tohow activation was effected.

The dedicated architecture manager 19 controls creation, modification,suspension or closure of the PDP context link between the terminal 10and the communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 according to themanagement function selected, for example via the mobile network.

The dedicated architecture manager 19 allows access to a resource of theterminal 10 accessible by the architecture 15, 16, 17 dedicated to acommunications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 according to the type ofactivation effected.

The dedicated architecture manager 19 controls a memory location of theterminal 10, for example, or access to a function of the centralprocessing unit (CPU) of the terminal 10 according to the managementfunction selected, for the purposes of the architecture 15, 16, 17dedicated to a communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52.

Consequently, according which of the management functions has beenactivated, the dedicated architecture manager 19 controls the firstmeans 20 of transmission to an architecture 15, 16, 17 dedicated to acommunications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, the second transmissionmeans 21 to a communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, the PDPcontext linking the terminal 10 and the communications network 40, 41,42, 50, 51, 52 or the resource of the terminal 10.

According to what selection has been effected, the dedicatedarchitecture manager manages one of the dedicated architectures, one ofthe communications networks, one of the PDP contexts corresponding tothe communications network or one of the resources of the terminal, andall of the above in operation and in parallel with access by theterminal 10 to the services provided by the communications networks 40,41, 42, 50, 51, 52.

In particular, if the user of the terminal 10 wishes to access acommunications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, the user accesses thelist in the dedicated architecture manager 19 of APN identifying thecommunications networks 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 to which the user is asubscriber and which the user can access.

After the user selects from the list an APN identifying one of thecommunications networks 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 associated with acorresponding PDP context, the creation function of the dedicatedarchitecture manager 19, by means of the first transmission means 20,assigns the selected APN a dedicated architecture 15, 16, 17 managed bythe dedicated architecture manager 19 of the terminal 10.

The creation function of the dedicated architecture manager 19 uses thesecond transmission means 21 to control the standard ETSI (EuropeanTelecommunications Standards Institute) PDP context activationprocedure, which leads to the provision of access to the communicationsnetwork 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 identified by the APN selected on theterminal 10.

The dedicated architecture manager 19 of the terminal 10 controls accessto a resource of the terminal 10 used by the architecture 15, 16, 17dedicated to the communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, such asaccess to a memory location of the terminal 10 or to a function of thecentral processor unit (CPU) of the terminal 10, for the purposes of thearchitecture 15, 16, 17 dedicated to the communications network 40, 41,42, 50, 51, 52.

Similarly, once a connection has been set up between the terminal 10 anda communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, the modificationfunction of the dedicated architecture manager 19 modifies the resourcesused in the terminal 10 by the architecture 15, 16, 17 dedicated to theconnected communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 associated withthe corresponding PDP context.

This modification allows adaptation of the resources of the terminal 10to the communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, for example, onthe occasion of a change of quality of service, by modifying thecapacity of the memories assigned in the terminal 10.

By means of the first and second transmission means 20, 21, themodification function of the dedicated architecture manager 19 controlsstandard ETSI PDP content modification procedure, which includesmodification of the characteristics of transmission to the connectedcommunications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52.

In the exactly the same way, once a connection has been set up betweenthe terminal 10 and a communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, thesuspension function of the dedicated architecture manager 19 temporarilysuspends transmission between the dedicated architecture manager 19 andthe architecture 15, 16, 17 dedicated to the connected communicationsnetwork 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 associated with the corresponding PDPcontext.

Because of this, the dedicated architecture 15, 16, 17 can no longeraccess the connected communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 andcan therefore no longer carry out any function, modification orintervention of any kind, such as assigning a memory resource of theterminal 10 or modifying the transmission quality of service.

By means of the first and second transmission means 20, 21, thesuspension function of the dedicated architecture manager 19 controlsthe standard ETSI suspend procedure, which leads to temporary stoppingof transmission to the connected communications network 40, 41, 42, 50,51, 52.

Lifting a suspension leads to the resumption of normal transmission atthe point and in the state at which transmission was suspended. In thededicated architecture manager 19, the lifting of the suspension enablescontrol of the standard ETSI resume procedure, which leads to theresumption of transmission to the connected communications network 40,41, 42, 50, 51, 52.

In the same way, once a connection has been set up between the terminal10 and a communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, the closurefunction of the dedicated architecture manager 19 closes down alltransmission between the dedicated architecture manager 19 and thearchitecture 15, 16, 17 dedicated to the connected communicationsnetwork 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52 associated with the corresponding PDPcontext.

By means of the first and second transmission means 20, 21, the closurefunction of the dedicated architecture manager 19 controls the standardETSI PDP context deactivation procedure, which leads to the stopping ofall transmission to the communications network 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52connected to the terminal 10.

The dedicated architecture manager 19 of the terminal 10 controls theclosure of the architecture 15, 16, 17 dedicated to the connectedcommunications network, which releases all resources used in theterminal 10 by the dedicated architecture 15, 16, 17, for example allthe memory locations of the terminal 10 or access to the centralprocessor unit (CPU) of the terminal for the purposes of the dedicatedarchitecture 15, 16, 17. Any files downloaded and stored in anon-volatile memory of the terminal 10 are not affected by the closurefunction and the releasing of the other resources of the terminal 10.

At the end of execution of the closure function, the identifier of theclosed dedicated architecture 15, 16, 17 is deleted from the list ofdedicated architectures 15, 16, 17 managed by the dedicated architecturemanager 19 of the terminal 10.

1. A terminal for providing simultaneous connections to multiplecommunications networks, wherein each connection is set up by a PDPcontext link, the terminal comprising: a plurality of resources,including at least one memory; a user interface; a selector integratedwith the user interface, the selector being configured to receive a userselection of one of the communications networks and a user selection ofa connection management function to be performed with respect to theselected communications network; dedicated architectures connected tothe user interface, each of the dedicated architectures being configuredfor communication with at least one of the communications networks; anda dedicated architecture manager configured to provide simultaneousconnections to more than one of the communications networks, thededicated architecture manager being connected to the user interface andbeing connected between the dedicated architectures and a radioinput/output of the terminal, wherein the dedicated architecture manageris configured to assign the dedicated architectures to respective onesof the communications networks, wherein the dedicated architecturemanager stores a list of access point names, each access point namecorresponding to one of each of the communications networks, and whereinthe dedicated architecture manager connects via the PDP context link toeach connected communications network to control a state of said linkand to adapt at least one resource of the plurality of resources to theconnected communications networks; wherein, based on the user selectionmade through the selector, the dedicated architecture managercommunicates with a dedicated architecture assigned to the selectedcommunications network, and communicates with the selectedcommunications network, to perform the selected connection managementfunction, and wherein said user selection of one of the communicationsnetworks is based on the list of access point names stored by thededicated architecture manager.
 2. The terminal of claim 1, wherein thededicated architecture manager comprises a first transmission unit toprovide individual communication with each of the dedicatedarchitectures.
 3. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the dedicatedarchitecture manager comprises a second transmission unit to providecommunication with multiple communications networks.
 4. The terminal ofclaim 1, wherein the dedicated architecture manager comprises a networkinterface to provide communication with multiple communicationsnetworks.
 5. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the dedicated architecturemanager controls access by the dedicated architectures to saidresources.
 6. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the selected connectionmanagement function is a creation function that initiates transmissionbetween the selected communications network and the terminal.
 7. Theterminal of claim 6, wherein the creation function comprises: activatinga PDP context link to the selected communications network; receiving,from the selected communications network, an address that identifies theterminal in the selected communications network; and sending the addressto the dedicated architecture assigned to the selected communicationsnetwork.
 8. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the selected connectionmanagement function is a modification function that modifiescharacteristics of transmission between the selected communicationsnetwork and the terminal.
 9. The terminal of claim 1, wherein theselected connection management function is a suspension function thatsuspends transmission between the selected communications network andthe terminal.
 10. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the selectedconnection management function is a closure function that endstransmission between the selected communications network and theterminal.
 11. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the closure functioncomprises: deactivating a PDP context link to the selectedcommunications network; and releasing resources of the terminal accessedby the dedicated architecture assigned to the selected communicationsnetwork.
 12. A method for providing simultaneous connections between aterminal and multiple communications networks, the terminal having auser interface with an integrated selector, dedicated architecturesconnected to the user interface, and a dedicated architecture manager,the method comprising: storing, by said dedicated architecture manager alist of access point names, each access point name corresponding to oneof each of the communications networks; assigning at least one of thededicated architectures to a respective one of the communicationsnetworks; receiving, through the selector, a user selection of one ofthe communications networks and a user selection of a connectionmanagement function to be performed with respect to the selectedcommunications network, wherein said user selection of one of thecommunications networks is based on the list of access point namesstored by the dedicated architecture manager; and performing theselected connection management function based on the user selection madewith the selector, the performing of the selected connection managementfunction comprising communicating between the dedicated architecturemanager and a dedicated architecture assigned to the selectedcommunications network, and communicating between the dedicatedarchitecture manager and the selected communications network, wherein:the dedicated architecture manager is connected to the user interfaceand is connected between the dedicated architectures and a radioinput/output of the terminal, each of the dedicated architectures isconfigured for communication with at least one of the communicationsnetworks, the dedicated architecture manager is configured to providesimultaneous connection to more than one of the communications networks,and the dedicated architecture manager connects via the PDP context linkto each connected communications network to control a state of said linkand to adapt at least one resource of the plurality of resources to theconnected communications networks.
 13. The method of claim 12, whereinthe dedicated architecture manager comprises a first transmission unitto provide individual communication with each of the dedicatedarchitectures.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the dedicatedarchitecture manager comprises a second transmission unit to providecommunication with multiple communications networks.
 15. The method ofclaim 12, wherein the dedicated architecture manager comprises a networkinterface to provide communication with multiple communicationsnetworks.
 16. The method of claim 12, wherein the dedicated architecturemanager controls access by the dedicated architectures to resources ofthe terminal.
 17. The method of claim 12, wherein the selectedconnection management function is a creation function that initiatestransmission between the selected communications network and theterminal.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the creation functioncomprises: activating a PDP context link to the selected communicationsnetwork; receiving, from the selected communications network, an addressthat identifies the terminal in the selected communications network; andsending the address to the dedicated architecture assigned to theselected communications network.
 19. The method of claim 12, wherein theselected connection management function is a modification function thatmodifies characteristics of transmission between the selectedcommunications network and the terminal.
 20. The method of claim 12,wherein the selected connection management function is a suspensionfunction that suspends transmission between the selected communicationsnetwork and the terminal.
 21. The method of claim 12, wherein theselected connection management function is a closure function that endstransmission between the selected communications network and theterminal.
 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the closure functioncomprises: deactivating a PDP context link to the selectedcommunications network; and releasing resources of the terminal accessedby the dedicated architecture assigned to the selected communicationsnetwork.
 23. The terminal of claim 12, wherein the user selection of oneof the communications networks is based on a list of access point namesstored by the dedicated architecture manager.